Electric block system for railways.



' I No. 353.403. PATENTED' MAY 14 1907'. .w. R. FULLBR I ELBG'I'RIG BLOCK SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. v H

I VJTNESSES v NB 853,403. ATBNTBD MAY 14, 1967 w. R. FULLER.

ELECTRIC BLOCK SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY S. APPLICATION "31mm .Lnme. 190v.

nuns-4x221: a.

v Y B y? "5 I 7 -ATTORNEY5 VVaZZeKRMZZer EN T R UNITED sTATE's PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER n. FULLEii/bh ATLANTA GEORG A.

- ELECTRIC BLOCK SYSTEM FOR RAIILWAYSV,"

No. 8:53.403.v

flnerrts in electric block systems for rai ways,

the passage of a train upon a block will cause the display of a danger signal at the interseo 'tion of the said block and the next succeeding block, and also the display of the dan er signal at thenext prece ing block, while both signals ap ear 'a t ,-safety to the engineer; of thetrair occupying the said block. I

' The invention has also for an object means whereby the engineer is appr sed of the 'oper ati'veness of. the danger signal by the visibilityfof his safety signal.

these and other objects in view, the invention consists essentially in dividing the track -conductors into conducting sections in lengthequal mitts proposed block and prov-iding conductors alon the track coupled at "the junction ofthe bloc s to signal operating devices". of. thevisible t y'pe, and providing each train, preferably the locomotive, with:

a sourcegof'current. bymeans of which the sig' .nal operating devices arrangml upon. the track at theintersectiorl of the blocks may-beact=uated.-= I 1 The invention 'Wlll he more fully understood-from the following detailed description drawings forming part of this specification,

- Figure]. 1s a diagrammatic representation of a trackmc-ludmg two blocks and the con grammatic representation'of the cont-i uous w ends of two blocks with trains in, each lock approaching each other; Fig, 3 is a VlQW: of an engine cab and rail showing a trolley arm depending'fronisaid cab; 4 is a cross sec-.

tion of a rail with the trolley in operative relation thereto and with the conductor located adjacent to the ra1l;.-F1 g. 5 s 5 4 located alon the 'trafiic-rails at einte lf sec-f of the structure shown in 4 a nd Fig. 6 is aperspective view of one-oft e s nal devlces tion oft'wobocks. Referring to the drmginge there s shown Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed-January 19.1967; seal to! eta-1 25'.

to ini rove- I and its-object to provide a means Whereby' taken'in connection with the ao coi npanyinga side elevation Patented May [4 196?.

- 5 ii'ne of track con sistingoftrafilegrails 1 2 I Qdue'ting to electric currents-1 throughout. Parallel toeach jofthese railsanfcl preferably supportedby ins lating' or insulated Mack..-

ets 3 fast tothe p0 ioniofith'eirail' oiithe inner face thereof spectively;. :a fl'he 'le lw resp ndi there'being twopara lei conduct carried'by one rail of the track an Lfocated at the contiguous ends-of the.

of, usual construction and so laid as tobecon- I c'a'rried b} the ot'he'r railoffthe track, m each Iblock.' 1

blocks {are signaling devices-6 indicated in Figs 1 and2'by siln'plerectangles' designated by the -1n ineral .6 and which may be taken to represent;, t h'e protecting casing in which these signaling devices are housed.

' Within e ach casing 6 issu'p'por'te d an'electric incandescent lamp 7 of clearglass', that is, one" that will "show a clear or fwhite.light.- Mount ed"up'on' a -connnon pivot rod- 8,' .or se'p'arately mounted ifgdes'ired, are targets 9-1-10 each-"of which}contains,air-aperture 11' closed by a. transparent redpane-12which in'ay be of any transparent colored matcri'al such as a pl a'ne mica-.01 vglasssheet or a glass bulis eye or lens appropriatelyicolored .red'; or used i n 'con unct1oii' -with a'red screen of transparent jmateriah, flhetar'gets9,10 are so pivoted as tofibe' ni'ovahle. into: andjbut of operative. relation'fwith the larnp 7 whichxlatter, itwill be un erstan willLb'e arrai 'ged'in 'l-ineiwithapertures in the. casing 6 through which ape'r- .tures the light maj besee'n' by an'engineer on an i engine approaching the-signal device or receding therefrom. ()n the side of the pivot support 8 remote from the tar 'et there' is a switch arm 13'whreh inay','if1 esired be an integral'part of'the target. The switch arm 18 is movable over two contact plates 14 15 arrangedclose enough togetherto be bridged by said arm so that there is no break in the circuit when the arm passes from one contact 2 '1 :50

plate toitheother. The switch arm carries an armature 16 in operative relation to an electro-n1agnet 17. A conductor 18 coming from ,one of' the traflic rails, say the traffic raill, is-connected' 'toone terminal of the ma'gnet'17 and the other terminal of this magnet is connected tothe contact plate 14 which latteris also connected to one terminal the lamp mereed in Fig, The

- included in the conductor other terminal of the lamp 7 is connected to the contact plate, 1.5, and the switch arm 13. is connected by conductor 19 to a conductor 5 along side oftrafiic rail 2.

It will beseenthat when the conductors 1819 constitute part of a charged circuit and the switch arm 13 is u on the contact platel i, being normally hel in this position y the weight of the target, which overbalancesit, the circuit may be traced from the coiiduictoVlS through the magnet 17 tothe contact plate 14 through the switch arm 13 and returning through the conductor19, thus l energizing the magi'1et. The armature 16 is attracted and moves the switch -arin-13 into contact-with the contact plate 15 at the same' time raising the red eye of the target infront of the lamp 7. The circuit will now'be from conductor 18, through the magnet 17, thence to con-tact plate 14', and to the lamp 7, returning by way of the contact plate 15 and switch arm 13 to the other conductor 19. During this movement the magnet has remained ener ized because the two plates 14 and 15 werebridged by the switch arm 13.

.Under the conditions just described the target 10 has .been moved totca'use the display of a red light on that side of the lamp 7, While the target 9. has remained inactive and therefore the light as viewed from the side of the lamp eorrespondingtothe target 9 will appear as clear or white.

The magnet l7-controllingtl1e target 9 is comin from the. bloc]; conductor 4 of the next a jacent block and the conductor 21 connected to the 25 fast on said arm upon the section 23, and

- 22 having near its lower end asection 23 conarm 22 by. a one-way in position normally in arm 22 by a flat spring 7 22 and bearing'agains't, withits free end, the-section 23, an eye 26 encircling the freeneoted to the trolls hinge 24, being held line with the trolley end of the spring being provided to limit the jnovement of thls'section 23. -Hinged to the lower end of the section .23 is still another section 27 connected to the said section 23 by a one-way hinge 2 8 permitting movement. of

the section 27-relative to the section 23 in a plane atright angles to the plane ofnlove- 'ment of the section 23 relative to the trolley arm 22. A spring 29, similar to the'spring 25, is fast on the section 23 and engages the.

section 2-7 ,.passing through an eye 30 thereon.

' the lower end of the section '27 is mounteda trolley wheel 31 arranged to bear upon and travel along the conductor 4 or 5, and

clrcuit through a conductor 34 with the roller 32 of the other trolley arm, to which the conductor 35 is connected.

Referring now to Fig. 2, two locomotives I AB are mdicated traveling toward each other, as shown 'by the arrows, toward the meeting ends of two blocks. Upon each 10- make contact,

comotive there is a battery or other suitable sou-roe of electric energy 36 included in cir-. cuit between one of the trolley wheels 31 of one trolley arm 22 and the roller 32 of the other trolley arm 22. In the circuit on the locomotive between the other trolley wheel.

31 and roller 32. there is included a battery 37 and lamp 38 in series, together with the switch arm 39 normally including in the circuit through a contact 40 a magnet 41. In multiple with the branch containing the magnet 41 is another'branch containing a lamp 42 and a bell 4301' other similar signal device. This branch terminates at a contadt plate44 ,in the path of, but normally outof contact with, the s'witcharm 39-, which latter is arranged to constitute the armatureof the magnetel. Now, let the locomotive A only be considered. It

will be observed that a circuit willbe established from the battery 37 through the lamp 38 to "the rail 1, thence by-conductor 1 8 to the magnet 17 controlling the target 10 facing the next succeeding block, thence."retuming by conductor 19 to track" conductor 5' and through the ma net 41, contact 40, and switch arm 39 to the attery. Assuming that the train has ju'stentered upon the block, it will be seen that the next succeeding switch mechanism 6 has been operated to display the red li ht toward the next succeeding block, which ight would be visible to the engineman on a train approaching that block-upon which the engine A is now traveling, and he would thereby be warned that hewas approaching an occupied block. At the same'time, there is established. a circuit from battery 36 to conductor 4, back to branch conductor 20 at the end of the block back of the traveling'engine to the a magnet 17 controlling the target 9, and returning by branch conductor 21 to the traffic rail 2 and thence to battery 36. 'Thisdis plays a red light to any engineman approaching one train which has entered uon the rece 1n glblock just left engine but 1; ese

signa ghts at both en s of the block a pear '7 white or clear to the engineman of en me A.

Also, the lamp. 38, which may be w or I clear or may be blue or green, if desired, will glow steadily within sight of the enginenian of engine A, this light being located in the cab. The magnet41 is so adjusted that under the voltage of the current source 37 it will be too weak to attract the armature 39, and

the branch circuit through the 1amp 42 and bell 43 will therefore remain out of circuit.

a Suppose, now, that 'whileengin'e A is upon the block-engine B, coming from the other direction, should enter the block, and there should therefore be danger of ahead-on col lision'; Under these circumstances, battery 37 on engine A and battery'36 on en ine B would be coupled up in, series as won (1 also the battery 37 on engine B and the battery 36 on engine A. In each circuit there would then be generated sufficient voltage toenergize the magnets 41 to an extent that would cause them to attract their armature's 39 to make contact with the contacts 44 and thus include the lamps 42 and alarms 43 in circuit. The lamps 42 may be red lamps and, to-

gether with the alarms 43 notify both visually A is upon the block andanother train should.

and audibly both engineersof extreme danger. Provision may be madefforlockingthe armature switch arms 39in the attracted position and at the same timecutting out the magnets '41 when theemergency signal on the engine has been put iii-circuit, or a similar structure to that shown in Fig. 6, whereinthe magnet circu'it'is not,broken,..may be employed, Now, let it besupposed that train approach it fromthe rear. Then theybattery 37 of the ap reaching train will be in o position to the attery 36 of train A and t e result will be adead loopthrough which no cur rent will'flow,'and lamp 38 of the-approaching train will, ceaseto glow; thus notifying the engineman of the approa'chingltrain that he has run into a danger zone. 1

I I 'vill be seen that ateach signal device 6 the lamp? will not'glow until the target in front of it has been moved into a position to show danger, and the fact that the engineman ot the approaching tram is enabled to see thelight at all, that is, the' white light, is an as surance to him that the red si al has been set for the next succeeding b ack, and the same thing is true for the signal to the rear of him whereby and signal has been dis layed at 'the junction of the preceding bloc with the block upon which the train is now sup posedtobe. V, f

Itiwill thus beeeen that by this invention there is provided a block system entirely automatic in character, showing protecting sig nals 'bothto the block 'ahead and to the block in the rear of the occupied block. v

It will falso-jbev observed that the trolleyarni structure dqescr ibed with reference to Fi s. 4 and 5 providesafiexible contact which wiIl tend at all tiinesto maintain good contact despite irregularities of the conductors or rails.

I 'claim:''

1L In a block system for railways, sectional conductors extending throughout the length oi". a block, a source of current upon each train for energizing said conductors, and signal indicating devices at the junction of the blocks in circuit with said conductors and indicating danger tothe next block and safety to theoccupied block.

' 2. In a block system for railways, sectional line conductors arranged along said railway and continuous for the length of ablock and constituting, together with the traffic rails two normally open circuits, each independ- 'ently charged, and twoindependent sources of current upon each locomotive for the said circuits, and a'signal indicating device at the intersection of 4 the blocks independently coupledto each circuit, and operating to dis-I play a danger signal to-the blocks immediately succeeding and immediately preceding, and to display a safety signal to the occupied block at each end. 1 v

3. In a block system for railways, a signal device comprising a visual signal located at the junction of blocks,-targets in the line of vision, electro-magnets operating said targets, a line of conductors extending along the railway and connected toone ofthesignal operating magnets at one end of the block,

another line of conductors extendingalong the railway and connected 'to the correspondingly other signal operating magnet at the other end of the block, and independent sources of current carried upon the trains and charging said conductors.

4, In a block systenrforrailways, a signal device comprising'an electric lamp, pivoted targets carrying red screens and arranged on each side of-the lamp in theline of v sion, ex-

tensions of said targets constituting switch arms, magnets in operative relation to arlnatures therefor carried by said switch arms, and contact'sin the path of said switch arms and connected to said magnets and lamp and to an external circuit, and arranged to light the lamp only when one of the targets is i'noved'into the line of vision. i

5. f In afblock systernfor railways, ass ye tern of bloclg circuits, other circuits enacting therewith and carried upon the trains and including a source of current, and electrically j actuated signal. devices at the junction of the I blocks including a magnet in'the block circuit, a switch arin carrying a normally mactive, signal device and included in the magnet I circuit, and a normally open circuit branched.

from the magnet circuit and having a terminal in the path of the switcharm.. r

6. In a block system for railways, a sys tem of block circuits, other circuitscoactln therewith and carried upon thetrains an rod including a source of current, and electric-' ally actuated signal devices at the junction of the blockssincluding amagnet in the block circuit, a switch-armcarrying a signal de- 'vice and biased to hold said device normally inactive, said switch-arm being included in the-magnet circuit, and a normally open circuit branched from the magnet circuit and having a terminal. in the path of the switcharm. 7. In a block s stem for railways, electric circuits for each lock, signal indicatingde- "vices at the junctions of the blocks,'and inconductor carried thereby but insulated" therefrom, of a trolley arm or collector comprising two hinged sections in alinement one dependent sources-of current upon each train arranged to coact when trains approach to increase the current in the circuit including the trains and to neutralize the current in the circuit including two trains moving in the same direction upon the same block.

8. In a block system for railways, the combinationwith a conducting trafiic rail and a sea res with the other and movable in planes at right -angles to each other, springs holding these sections normally in' alinement but yieldable i v. to permit movement of the sections in their,

individual planes, and collectorscarried by one of the sections andinsulated from each other.

9. In a block'system for railways, a trolley I arm or collector having two hinged sections in alinement one with the other and movable in planes at right angles to-each other, springs holding these sections'normally in alinement' I but yielding to permit movement of the sections in their individual planes, and means carried by one ofthe sections for collecting current. 5 v

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in] the presence of two witnesses:

WALTER'R; FULLER,

Witnesses:

i E, HUME TALBERT, Gno. M. NAPIER. 

